Privacy
Helm is a sea-state forecast for the Chesapeake Bay. This explains what it collects and what it does with it, in plain language. The short version: we collect only what the app needs to work, we don't sell it, and we don't run advertising or third-party tracking.
What we collect
If you create an account: your email address and a password. The password is stored only as a secure one-way hash — we never store or see the password itself. You can also optionally add your name, your boat type, your boater type, a home water, and the waters you save as favorites.
If you rate a forecast("Match the water?"): your rating and the water and day it was about, so we can check the forecast against reality and improve it.
If you contact us or send feedback: the message you write and any contact details you include in it.
Standard server logs: like most websites, our host keeps basic request logs (for example IP address and browser type) for security and reliability. These are not used to build a profile of you.
What we use it for
- To sign you in and keep you signed in.
- To show your saved waters, your home water, and your favorites, and to open the forecast where you left off.
- To reply to messages and feedback you send us.
- To measure how accurate the forecast is and improve it over time.
Your location
Helm never tracks your location in the background. The map's "Near me" button asks your device for your position only when you tap it, and only to find the nearest water — the position is used on the spot and is not stored or sent to us.
Analytics and cookies
If you sign in, we set a cookie that keeps you signed in.
We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate usage — which pages are visited and roughly where visitors come from — so we can see what's useful and improve it. Google Analytics may set its own cookies. This is aggregate measurement, not advertising, and we don't use it to build a profile that identifies you.
What we never do
- We do not sell or rent your information to anyone.
- We do not run advertising or ad tracking.
- We do not share your information except where we must to run the service (our hosting, analytics, and email providers) or where the law requires it.
Keeping and deleting your data
You can update your account details or deactivate your account at any time from your account page. If you'd like your data deleted entirely, contact us and we'll take care of it.
Changes and contact
Helm is in beta and still changing. If this policy changes in a way that matters, we'll note it here. Questions about your privacy? Get in touch.
See also our Terms and Safety and limits.